CR 113 
.14 
1917 
Copy 1 




The Etiquette 
of the Stars 
and Stripes 

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“Our flag carries American ideas, American 
history, and American feelings. It is not a 
painted rag. It is a whole national history. 
It is the constitution. It is the government. 
It is the free people that stand in the govern¬ 
ment on the constitution. Forgetnot what it 
means; and for the sake of its ideas, be true 
to your country’s fla g."—Henry Ward Beecher. 
































THE ETIQUETTE 


OF 

THE STARS AND STRIPES 


BY 

EMILY KATHARINE IDE 



Revised 
E. K. IDE 

65 Rutland St., Boston, Mass. 




Copyright, 1917 

B Y 

EMILY KATHARINE IDE 


/ 


MAY 11 1917 

©CI.A460716 

( 


4 


The Stars and Stripes 


On Saturday, the 14th of June, 1777, the Ameri¬ 
can Congress 

“Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen United 
States be thirteen stripes alternate red and white; 
that the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue 
field, representing a new constellation.” 

January 13, 1794, Vermont and Kentucky hav¬ 
ing been admitted to the Union, and Congress not 
forseeing the growth of the flag in adding both a 
star and a stripe for each new state, passed the 
following Act which was approved by President 
Washington: — 

“That, from and after the first day of May, one 
thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, the flag 
of the United States be fifteen stripes, alternate 
red and white, and that the Union be fifteen stars, 
white in a blue field.” 

In 1818, Congress passed an Act which settled the 
general form of our flag. The Act was as follows: — 

“An Act to establish the flag of the United States. 

Sec. 1. That from and after the 4th of July next, 
the flag of the United States be thirteen horizon¬ 
tal stripes, alternate red and white—that the 
Union have twenty stars, white in a blue field. 



Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, that on the ad¬ 
mission of every new State into the Union, one 
star be added to the Union of the flag, and that 
such addition shall take effect on the 4th of July 
next succeeding such admission.” 

The flag today (1917) has 48 stars. 

Definition of Parts of Flag 

The hoist is the width of flag, next to the staff 
(pole or “pike”). 

The fly is the length of flag. 

The canton (Latin canton, “corner”), is the up¬ 
per corner next to the staff. 

The union is the device placed in the canton to 
represent political union. 

The union jack, or “Jack,” represents both the 
device and canton. 

Flag Etiquette 

The War and Navy Departments of the United 
States government require certain observances of the 
use of the flag. Many of the states also have spe¬ 
cific laws for the flying of the flag over school houses 
and other public buildings. There are no official pre¬ 
scribed rules for the flag when used in decoration. 
These are based upon the origin of a flag, and other 
facts, together with the customary forms of etiquette. 

( 4 ) 


Raising and Lowering the Flag 

The flag should not be raised before sunrise and 
it should be lowered at sunset, (unless under siege 
or in a battle). It should not be displayed on stormy 
days, unless obligatory (as in the United States 
Army, where the Storm Flag of certain dimensions is 
used). When the flag is displayed at half staff, it is 
lowered to that position from the top of the staff. 
It is afterwards hoisted to the top before it is fi¬ 
nally lowered. 

On Memorial Day, May 30, the National flag 
should be displayed at half staff until noon then 
hoisted to the top of the staff where it remains un¬ 
til sunset. At all army posts and stations immedi¬ 
ately before noon, the band or field music plays some 
appropriate air, and the National salute of 21 guns 
is fired at 12 m., at all posts and stations provided 
with artillery. After this memorial tribute and the 
hoisting of the flag to the peak, the flag is saluted 
by playing one or more appropriate patriotic airs. 

When the flag is formally raised, all present dur¬ 
ing the ceremony should stand at attention, with 
hand raised to forehead ready for the salute. The 
flag should never be allowed to touch the ground in 
the raising and lowering of it. 

(5) 


The Hand Flag Salute 

The correct hand salute to the flag, as required 
by the regulations of the United States Army, is: 
standing at attention, raise the right hand to fore¬ 
head over the right eye, palm downward, fingers 
extended and close together, arm at an angle of 45 
degrees. Move hand outward about a foot, with a 
quick motion then drop to the side. 

When the colors are passing on parade, or in 
review, the spectator should, if walking, halt, if sit¬ 
ting, arise, stand at attention, and uncover. 

Oral Flag Salute 

For school children in the primary department 
the following is recommended: 

“We give our heads and our hearts to God and 
our country; 

One country, one language, one flag.” 

For advanced pupils the National salute: 

“I pledge allegiance to my flag, and to the Re¬ 
public for which it stands; one nation, indivisible, 
with liberty and justice for all.” 

When Portrayed 

The flag when portrayed (alone) by any illustra¬ 
tive process, should always have the staff so placed 
that it is at the left of the picture, the fabric float¬ 
ing to the right. 


( 6 ) 


Used in Unveiling Monuments 

When the flag is used in unveiling a statue or 
monument, it should not be allowed to fall to the 
ground, but should be carried aloft to wave out, 
forming a distinctive feature during the remainder 
of the ceremony. 

“The Star-Spangled Banner”* 

Whenever “The Star-Spangled Banner” is played 
all persons within hearing should rise and stand, 
uncovered, during its rendition. The same respect 
should be observed toward the National air of any 
other country, when it is played as a compliment 
to official representatives of such country. The play¬ 
ing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” as part of a 
medley is prohibited and it should never be played 
as an exit march. 

On Parade 

When the flag is on parade, it should always be 
carried on the staff, to fly above the marching col¬ 
umns. When carried with any other flag, the Stars 
and Stripes should be on the right. When carried 
with many flags it should precede them. 

Used on a Bier 

When the flag is placed over a bier or casket, 
the Union should be at the head. 


♦“The Star-Spangled Banner” has never been formally adopted by Congress 
as our national anthem, but by the recognition given to it by the army and 
navy it has become so. 


( 7 ) 



Desecration of the Flag 

No advertisement can be placed upon the flag 
nor can it be used as a trade-mark. It should not 
be worn as the whole or part of a costume and 
when worn as a badge it should be pinned over the 
left breast or to the left collar lapel. 

Days when Flag should be Displayed 

Lincoln’s birthday, February 12. 

Washington’s birthday, February 22. 
Inauguration Day, March 4. 

Battle of Lexington, April 19. 

Battle of Manilla Bay, May 1. 

Mother’s Day, second Sunday in May. (A Reso¬ 
lution of Congress in 1914). 

Memorial Day, May 30. 

Flag Day, June 14. 

Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17. 

Independence Day, July 4. 

Labor Day, first Monday in September. 

Lake Erie Day, September 10. 

Lake Champlain Day, September 11. 

Columbus Day, October 12. 

Battle of Saratoga, October 17. 

Surrender at Yorktown, October 19. 

Worn Out Flags 

When a flag is beyond repair, if it has been in 
( 8 ) 


service, it should be removed from the staff and 
framed, under glass, like a picture. If this is im¬ 
possible it should be incinerated, thus placing it 
beyond all possible desecration. 

Used in Decoration Out of Doors 

Every patriotic American citizen should emphat¬ 
ically protest against the debasing of our National 
Emblem when used, incorrectly, in decoration. 

All flags in the United States Army are suspended 
from the staff and in no other way. The flag de¬ 
scended directly from the heraldic banners and pen¬ 
nons of the knights of feudal times; for this reason 
it should hang, preferably, from the staff; if this is 
impossible there is but one other way to display it: 
namely, suspended across a thoroughfare (commonly 
termed), as “a Banner,” where it cannot be exposed 
to self-destruction, by striking against a building. 
When displayed in this way, the union should fly to 
the north, in streets running east and west, and to 
the east, in streets running north and south. 

Used in Decoration in Doors 

The most dignified and impressive way to dis¬ 
play the flag, when in doors, is several arranged in 
a “glory,” or in a cluster, the staffs radiating from 
a common centre. Another way is, with the foot of 

(9) 


the staff fastened to the wall, the flag hanging di¬ 
rectly therefrom, above the heads of the assembly. 
In crossing the flag with any other the Stars and 
Stripes should be at the right. When the flag is 
hung vertically, so it can be viewed from one side 
only, the union should be at the right, as one faces 
it, thus placing the flag right side out. When hung 
vertically, so it can be viewed from both sides, the 
union should be placed at the right (of the building, 
which is determined by facing in the same direction 
as the building). When the flag is displayed hori¬ 
zontally (as if on the staff), so it can be viewed from 
one side only, the union should be placed at the left, 
as one faces it; thus placing the flag right side out; 
when hung horizontally, so it can be viewed from 
both sides, the union should be at the right (of the 
building). The flag should never be placed below a 
person sitting; it should never be struck, and noth¬ 
ing should ever rest upon it, unless it is the Bible. 
The flag should never be draped, or twisted into 
rosettes, thus distorting and changing the shape of 
our sacred banner and using it as a fabric bought 
by the yard. Strips of red, white and blue bunting 
can be used effectively for drapery; when these are 
hung horizontally, the blue one, representing the 
blue field of the flag should be at the top. 

( 10 ) 


National Salutes 

The National salute is 21 guns. The salute to 
a national flag is 21 guns. The salute to the Union, 
commemorative of the Declaration of Independence, 
and consisting of one gun for each state, is fired at 
noon on July 4, at every post provided with suit¬ 
able artillery. 

It is the custom of foreign ships of war, on en¬ 
tering a harbor or passing near a fortification, to 
display at the main the flag of the country, in whose 
waters they are, and to salute it. 

On the completion of the salute to the flag, 
a salute of the same number of guns should be 
promptly returned, by the designated saluting 
station. 

The salute to the flag is the only salute that is 
returned, and this is invariably done as soon as 
possible. The time intervening should never exceed 
twenty-four hours. 

Salutes are not fired between sunset and sunrise 
and not on Sunday, unless required by international 
courtesy. As a rule, salutes are fired between 8 a. m. 
and sunset. The National flag should always be 
displayed at the time of firing a salute. 

The flag of a military post should not be dipped 
by way of salute or compliment. 

HD 


Personal Salutes 

The President of the United States, both on his 
arrival at and his departure from a military post, 
or when in its vicinity, receives a salute of 21 guns. 

The sovereign or chief magistrate of a foreign 
country receives the salute prescribed for the Presi¬ 
dent; members of a royal family receive the salute 
due their sovereign. 

An ex-President of the United States receives a 
salute of 21 guns. The Vice-President receives a 
salute of 19 guns. 

Ambassadors, members of the Cabinet, and the 
president pro tempore of the Senate, 19 guns. 

The Chief Justice, the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, a committee of Congress officially 
visiting a military post, governors within their re¬ 
spective States or Territories, or a governor general, 
and the civil governor of the Philippine Islands, 17 
guns. 

The Assistant Secretary of War or the Assistant 
Secretary of the Navy when officially visiting a mili¬ 
tary post; the vice governor of the Philippine Is¬ 
lands, and American or foreign envoys or ministers, 
15 guns. 

Consuls general accredited to the United States, 
11 guns. 


( 12 ) 


The General, 17 guns. 

The Lieutenant-General, 15 guns. 

Major-General, 13 guns. 

Brigadier-General, 11 guns. 

As a rule, a personal salute should be fired when 
the personage entitled to it enters a post. 

Gun salutes, to flag officers in the United States 
Navy are as follows: 

Admiral of the Navy, 19 guns. 

Admiral, 17 guns. 

Vice-Admiral, 15 guns. 

Rear-Admiral, 13 guns. 

These salutes are fired upon the departure of the 
personage entitled to them. 

Concerning’ Flags 

The Stars and Stripes is the official symbol of 
the National flag of the United States. There is a 
variety of flags, known as standards, ensigns, jacks, 
pennants, boat, guidons, etc. 

The National flag, when used by the Army, is 
called the standard, also the colors. When borne 
with a state flag, the two are called a “stand of 
colors.” 

The National flag is known in the Navy as an 
ensign. 

The Union Jack, the distinctive flag of the Navy, 
(13) 


is the blue canton of the National flag, with the 
white stars. 

Boat flags and pennants are used to indicate 
the rank of Army and Navy officers. Pennants are 
also used, during the performance of public func¬ 
tions, as the church pennant, the meal pennant, etc. 
They are of various shapes. Their colors and devices 
denote the class of service and the military or naval 
division represented. That borne by a man-of-war, 
“In Commission,’’ is very long and narrow, practi¬ 
cally a streamer. About one-third of its length, it 
has a row of white stars on a blue field, the re¬ 
mainder being one red and one white stripe. 

Homeward Bound Pennant: Borne by men-of- 
war when on a homeward bound voyage, after having 
been on protracted duty on a foreign station has the 
same characteristics as a pennant except that it is 
very long, in some cases reaching a length of 1,000 feet. 

The church pennant, a blue cross on a white 
ground is the only flag which may be raised above 
the Stars and Stripes. 

Guidons are used to designate batteries, com¬ 
panies, regiments or troops, etc., and are inscribed 
with numbers or letters distinguishing the various 
bodies. They are usually small and may be square, 
pointed or notched at ends. 

(14) 


The several branches of military service have 
distinctive colors: Infantry Regiments, blue; Bat¬ 
talions of Engineers, Field Artillery and Coast 
Artillery Corps, scarlet; Cavalry, two red and 
white horizontal stripes; Signal Corps, orange; 
Hospital service, white with red Geneva cross; Field 
Hospitals and Ambulance companies, maroon. 

The President of the United States has a blue 
flag with a five-pointed white star in each of the 
four corners. The design in the centre is the official 
coat of arms of the United States without the “sky 
azure charged with the thirteen mullets,” instead of 
which, four stars (or mullets), are placed directly 
at the right of the eagle’s head, and the other nine, 
in acurved line above the motto “E PluribusUnum.” 
Added to this, above all, are thirteen moons, which, 
together with the stars are pierced by golden rays. 
The Secretary of War has a red flag with a five- 
pointed white star in each of the four corners and 
bearing in the centre the official coat of arms of the 
United States; Assistant Secretary of War, has a 
white flag with same design, the stars being red. 
Secretary of the Navy, an anchor and four stars 
in white upon a blue field; Admirals and Vice- 
Admirals have blue flags with four and three stars 
respectively. A Rear-Admiral’s flag may be blue or 

(15) 


red with two white stars. The red one is flown by 
juniors, when in the presence of seniors, and the 
blue one by seniors, and by all Rear-Admirals, 
when alone. The grade of Commodore has ceased 
to exist, as a grade of rank on the active list, in 
the United States Navy. 

The Naval despatch flag has five blue mullets 
upon a white field; Naval convoy flag, pointed, 
white with red border; revenue, sixteen vertical red 
and white stripes; the canton, white with blue eagle 
and stars; lighthouse flag, pointed, white with red 
border, a lighthouse upon the white field; quaran¬ 
tine flag, yellow; United States yacht ensign, thir¬ 
teen red and white stripes, with blue canton bearing 
white anchor in circle of white stars. 

There is a large number of Navy signal flags. 

A flag displayed Union d own is a signal of distress. 


( 16 ) 


Francis Scott Key* 

The author of “The Star-Spangled Banner” 
was born at Double Pipe Creek, Maryland, August 
9, 1780, and died January 11, 1843. 

As a lawyer he was equalled by few and excelled 
by none, but he is known to posterity almost en¬ 
tirely as the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner” 
which was inspired while he was a prisoner during 
the attack on Fort McHenry by the British, Sep¬ 
tember, 1814. 

Just previous to the bombardment, Mr. Key 
visited the invading fleet under a flag of truce, in 
order to intercede for the release of Dr. Beans, who 
had been unjustly imprisoned. 

Mr. Key was courteously received on board the 
British flagship by Vice-Admiral Cochrane, but his 
visit happening three days before the intended at¬ 
tack on Baltimore and Fort McHenry, he and his 
companion, Col. John S. Skinner, agent of the United 
States for Parole of Prisoners, were informed that 
although Dr. Beans would be released they must all 
be detained until after a “certain important event.” 
Accordingly the three Americans were transferred 
back to the United States cartel ship Minden , at the 

*By courtesy of F. 8. Key-Smith, great-grandson of Francis Scott Key, and 
author of “The Life of Key, author of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’; what 
else he was and who.” 


( 17 ) 



mouth of the Patapsco, where they were guarded by 
British Marines. 

From there Mr. Key witnessed the “certain im¬ 
portant event” and composed the outlines of “The 
Star-Spangled Banner,“describing in the poem what 
he actually saw and emotionally scribbling the first 
draft of it on the back of a letter. 

During the contest his sleepless anxiety knew no 
rest. Alternate fear and hope spread alarm in his 
patriotic breast from 6 a. m., September 13, “till 
the dawn’s early light,” September 14, when he 
was thrilled with joy to find that “our flag was 
still there.” 

Upon his release he proceeded to Baltimore where 
he wrote out the first complete draft of the song. 

“The Star-Spangled Banner” was sung for the 
first time in the Union by Ferdinand Durang, a 
musician, who adapted the words to the old tune 
of “Anacreon in Heaven.” 

According to some writers he rendered it mounted 
on an old rush bottom chair in a small tavern next 
to The Holiday Street Theatre where players “most 
did congregate,” to prepare for the daily military 
drill in Joy Street, every able man being at that 
time a soldier. 

Mr. Key is buried in Frederick, Maryland. 

The flag of 1795 with fifteen stars and stripes 
was the one immortalized by Mr. Key. 

( 18 ) 


The Star-Spangled Banner* 

The Greatest Relic of the War of 1812 

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light, 

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming, 

Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro’ the perilous fight. 

O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? 

And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, 

Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there. 

Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave 
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave? 

On the shore dimly seen thro’ the mists of the deep, 

Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes, 

What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep, 

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? 

Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam, 

In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream; 

’Tis the star-spangled banner; oh, long may it wave 
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

And where are the foes that so vauntingly swore, 

That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion, 

A home and a country should leave us no more? 

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution. 

No refuge could save the hireling and slave 

From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave: 

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave 
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

Oh, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand 

Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation, 

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land 
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. 

♦There are many versions of the poem. These words were taken from the 
copy of Frances Scott Key’s great grandson. 

(19) 


Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, 

And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!” 

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave 
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

Francis Scott Key. 


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